錢

See also: 钱 and 銭

錢	U+9322, 錢 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-9322

← 錡
[U+9321]

CJK Unified Ideographs

錣 →
[U+9323]

Translingual

Traditional	錢
Shinjitai	銭
Simplified	钱

Han character

錢 (Kangxi radical 167, 金+8, 16 strokes, cangjie input 金戈戈 (CII), four-corner 8315₃, composition ⿰釒戔)

Derived characters

籛𪷻𮕒𨪑𬬌𪩞𧂂𥃒𥗛𧔢𪈇

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 1311, character 5
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 40563
Dae Jaweon: page 1812, character 14
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 6, page 4217, character 10
Unihan data for U+9322

Chinese

trad.		錢
simp.		钱
alternative forms		銭

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (戔) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
殘	zlaːn, zaːns
戔	*zlaːn
帴	zlaːn, saːns, ʔslenʔ, ʔsleːn, *sreːd
虥	zreːn, zreːn, zreːnʔ, zraːns
盞	*ʔsreːnʔ
醆	ʔsreːnʔ, ʔljenʔ
琖	*ʔsreːnʔ
剗	*sʰreːnʔ
棧	zreːnʔ, zraːns, *zrenʔ
輚	zreːnʔ, zraːns
嶘	*zreːnʔ
錢	ʔslenʔ, zlen
俴	ʔslenʔ, zlenʔ
籛	ʔslenʔ, ʔslens, *ʔsleːn
淺	sʰlenʔ, ʔsleːn
濺	ʔsens, ʔseːn
踐	*zlenʔ
諓	zlenʔ, zlens
餞	zlenʔ, zlens
賤	*zlens
綫	*slens
箋	*ʔsleːn
牋	*ʔsleːn

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ʔslenʔ, *zlen) : semantic 金 (“metal; gold; money”) + phonetic 戔 (OC *zlaːn).

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation 1

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): qián (qian²)

(Zhuyin): ㄑㄧㄢˊ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): qian²

(Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): чян (či͡an, I)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): cin⁴ / cin^4-2

(Taishan, Wiktionary): ten³ / ten^3*
Gan (Wiktionary): qien²
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): chhièn

(Hailu, HRS): cien

(Meixian, Guangdong): qiên²
Jin (Wiktionary): qie¹
Northern Min (KCR): cîng
Eastern Min (BUC): cièng
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): zing²
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): chîⁿ / chiân / chên / chhiân

(Teochew, Peng'im): zin⁵
Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶zhi
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): zienn²

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: qián
  - Zhuyin: ㄑㄧㄢˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: cián
  - Wade–Giles: chʻien²
  - Yale: chyán
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chyan
  - Palladius: цянь (cjanʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn³⁵/
- (Standard Chinese, erhua-ed) (錢兒／钱儿)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: qiánr
  - Zhuyin: ㄑㄧㄢˊㄦ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: ciánr
  - Wade–Giles: chʻien²-ʼrh
  - Yale: chyánr
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chyal
  - Palladius: цяньр (cjanʹr)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰi̯ɑɻ³⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: qian²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: kian
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰiɛn²¹/
- (Dungan)
  - Cyrillic and Wiktionary: чян (či͡an, I)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰiæ̃²⁴/
  (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: cin⁴ / cin^4-2
  - Yale: chìhn / chín
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tsin⁴ / tsin^4-2
  - Guangdong Romanization: qin⁴ / qin^4-2
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰiːn²¹/, /t͡sʰiːn²¹⁻³⁵/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: ten³ / ten^3*
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰen²²/, /tʰen²²⁻²²⁵/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: qien²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕʰiɛn²⁴/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhièn
  - Hakka Romanization System: qien^ˇ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: qian²
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰi̯en¹¹/
- (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
  - Hakka Romanization System: cien
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰien⁵⁵/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: qiên²
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰiɛn¹¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: qie¹
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡ɕʰie¹¹/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: cîng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡siŋ³³/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: cièng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sieŋ⁵³/
Puxian Min
- (Putian, Xianyou)
  - Pouseng Ping'ing: zing²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡siŋ¹³/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an, Yongchun, Zhangpu, Changtai, General Taiwanese, Klang)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chîⁿ
  - Tâi-lô: tsînn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: cvii
  - IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an, Yongchun, Changtai, Taipei, Klang): /t͡sĩ²⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangpu): /t͡sĩ²¹³/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sĩ¹³/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sĩ²³/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Yongchun, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chiân
  - Tâi-lô: tsiân
  - Phofsit Daibuun: cieen
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡siɛn²³/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Yongchun, Taipei): /t͡siɛn²⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡siɛn¹³/
- (Hokkien: Hui'an)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chên
  - Tâi-lô: tsên
  - Phofsit Daibuun: zeen
  - IPA (Hui'an): /t͡sen²⁴/
- (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhiân
  - Tâi-lô: tshiân
  - Phofsit Daibuun: chieen
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰiɛn²³/
  - IPA (Taipei): /t͡sʰiɛn²⁴/

Note:

chîⁿ - vernacular (incl. surname);
chiân/chên - literary;
chhiân - limited (e.g. in 一錢，二緣，三媠，四少年).

(Teochew)
- Peng'im: zin⁵
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tsîⁿ
- Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sĩ⁵⁵/

Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ⁶zhi
  - MiniDict: zhi^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³xxi
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ʑi²³/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: zienn²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /t͡si̯ẽ¹³/
  - Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /t͡ɕi̯ẽ¹³/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 錢
Mandarin	Beijing	/t͡ɕʰian³⁵/
	Harbin	/t͡ɕʰian²⁴/
	Tianjin	/t͡ɕʰian⁴⁵/
	Jinan	/t͡ɕʰiã⁴²/
	Qingdao	/t͡sʰiã⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/t͡sʰian⁴²/
	Xi'an	/t͡ɕʰiã²⁴/
	Xining	/t͡ɕʰiã²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/t͡ɕʰian⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/t͡ɕʰiɛ̃n⁵³/
	Ürümqi	/t͡ɕʰian⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/t͡ɕʰiɛn²¹³/
	Chengdu	/t͡ɕʰian³¹/
	Guiyang	/t͡ɕʰian²¹/
	Kunming	/t͡ɕʰiɛ̃³¹/
	Nanjing	/t͡sʰien²⁴/
	Hefei	/t͡ɕʰiĩ⁵⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/t͡ɕʰie¹¹/
	Pingyao	/t͡ɕʰie̞¹³/ /t͡ɕie̞¹³/
	Hohhot	/t͡ɕʰie³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/ʑi²³/
	Suzhou	/ziɪ¹³/
	Hangzhou	/d͡ʑiẽ̞²¹³/
	Wenzhou	/d͡ʑi³¹/
Hui	Shexian	/t͡sʰe⁴⁴/
Hui	Tunxi	/t͡sʰiɛ⁴⁴/
Xiang	Changsha	/t͡siẽ¹³/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/d͡ziẽ¹²/
Gan	Nanchang	/t͡ɕʰiɛn²⁴/
Hakka	Meixian	/t͡sʰien¹¹/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/t͡sʰien¹¹/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/t͡sʰin²¹/
	Nanning	/t͡sʰin²¹/
	Hong Kong	/t͡sʰin²¹/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/t͡sian³⁵/ /t͡sĩ³⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/t͡sieŋ⁵³/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/t͡siŋ³³/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/t͡sĩ⁵⁵/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/t͡si³¹/

Middle Chinese: dzjen

Rime
Character	錢
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	從 (15)
Final (韻)	仙 (77)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	昨仙切
Baxter	dzjen
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/d͡ziᴇn/
Pan Wuyun	/d͡ziɛn/
Shao Rongfen	/d͡zjæn/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/d͡zian/
Li Rong	/d͡ziɛn/
Wang Li	/d͡zĭɛn/
Bernhard Karlgren	/d͡zʱi̯ɛn/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	qián
Expected Cantonese Reflex	cin⁴

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*N-ts[a][n]/

(Zhengzhang): /*zlen/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	錢
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	qián
Middle Chinese	‹ dzjen ›
Old Chinese	/*N-ts[a][n]/
English	coin, money
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	錢
Reading #	2/2
No.	6003
Phonetic component	戔
Rime group	元
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	錢
Old Chinese	/*zlen/

Definitions

錢

money; cash
我沒有錢。／我没有钱。 ― Wǒ méiyǒu qián. ― I don't have money.
currency; coins
古錢／古钱 ― gǔ qián ― ancient coin

銅錢／铜钱 ― tóngqián ― copper (coin)
cost; fund; expense
多少錢？／多少钱？ ― Duōshao qián? ― How much does it cost?

偌濟錢？／偌济钱？ [Hokkien] ― Gōa chē chîⁿ? [Pe̍h-ōe-jī] ― How much does it cost?

車錢／车钱 ― chēqián ― transport cost
coin-shaped object
榆錢／榆钱 ― yúqián ― fruit of an elm tree
mace (unit of weight equivalent to one tenth of a 兩／两 (liǎng, “tael”) and equal to ten 分 (fēn, “candareen”))
a surname. Qian, listed second in the Baijiaxing & the dynasty of the kings of Wuyue
錢穆／钱穆 ― Qián Mù ― Chien Mu (Chinese historian)

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 錢 (“money”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		錢, 幣
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		錢, 鈔, 金錢, 錢財
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	錢, 錢兒
	Taiwan	錢
	Malaysia	錢
	Singapore	錢
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	錢
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	錢, 票子
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	錢
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	錢兒, 金錢, 錢財
	Wanrong	錢
	Xi'an	錢, 尕
	Xining	錢
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	錢
Lanyin Mandarin	Lanzhou	尕
Lanyin Mandarin	Ürümqi	麻卡爾
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	錢, 數數
	Wuhan	錢, 角子
	Kunming	錢兒
	Guilin	錢
	Xiangtan (Jiangnan Industries Group koine)	錢
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	鈔票
	Yangzhou	錢, 鈔票
	Hefei	錢
Cantonese	Guangzhou	錢, 銀, 銀紙, 水
	Hong Kong	錢, 銀, 銀紙, 水, 錢銀, 鐳 slang, 銀兩
	Macau	錢
	Taishan	錢, 銀, 銀紙, 鐳
	Taishan (Guanghai)	錢
	Yangjiang	錢
	Beihai	銀紙
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	錢
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	錢
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	錢
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	鐳
	Singapore (Guangfu)	鐳, 錢
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	錢, 鐳, tiền, 銀紙
	Móng Cái	錢, tiền
	Mandalay (Taishan)	錢, 鐳
Gan	Nanchang	錢
	Lichuan	錢
	Pingxiang	錢
Hakka	Meixian	錢
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	水, 沙水, 沙
	Changting	錢
	Wuping	錢
	Liancheng	錢
	Ninghua	錢
	Yudu	錢
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	錢
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	錢
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	錢
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	錢
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	錢
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	錢
	Kuching (Hepo)	鐳
Huizhou	Jixi	鈔票, 洋錢
Jin	Taiyuan	錢
Northern Min	Jian'ou	錢
	Songxi	錢
	Zhenghe	錢
	Jianyang	錢
	Wuyishan	錢
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	錢
	Fuzhou (Changle)	錢
	Lianjiang	錢
	Fuqing	錢
	Pingtan	錢
	Yongtai	錢
	Minqing	錢
	Gutian	錢
	Pingnan	錢
	Luoyuan	錢
	Fu'an	錢
	Ningde	錢
	Xiapu	錢
	Zherong	錢
	Shouning	錢
	Zhouning	錢
	Fuding	錢
	Singapore (Fuqing)	錢
Southern Min	Xiamen	錢, 鐳, 銀紙, 錢銀, 銀兩
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	錢, 鐳
	Quanzhou	錢, 鐳, 銀紙, 錢銀, 銀兩
	Jinjiang	錢
	Nan'an	錢
	Shishi	錢
	Hui'an	錢
	Anxi	錢
	Yongchun	錢
	Dehua	錢
	Zhangzhou	錢, 鐳, 阿字仔, 錢銀, 銀兩
	Zhangzhou (Longhai)	錢
	Zhangzhou (Changtai)	錢
	Hua'an	鐳
	Nanjing	鐳, 銀
	Pinghe	錢
	Zhangpu	錢
	Yunxiao	鐳
	Zhao'an	錢, 鐳
	Dongshan	錢, 鐳
	Taipei	錢
	Kinmen	錢
	Penang (Hokkien)	鐳, 錢, 銀
	Singapore (Hokkien)	鐳, 錢, 銀
	Manila (Hokkien)	錢
	Longyan	錢
	Zhangping	鐳
	Datian	錢
	Guilin (Biyange)	錢
	Chaozhou	鐳, 銀
	Shantou	錢, 銀
	Shantou (Chenghai)	鐳, 銀
	Jieyang	鐳, 銀
	Haifeng	錢
	Phnom Penh (Teochew)	鐳
	Singapore (Teochew)	鐳, 錢
	Batam (Teochew)	鐳, 錢
	Pontianak (Teochew)	鐳
	Leizhou	錢
	Wenchang	錢
	Singapore (Hainanese)	錢
Puxian Min	Putian	鐳, 錢
	Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang)	鐳, 錢
	Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)	鐳, 錢, 票
	Xianyou	鐳, 錢
	Xianyou (Fengting)	鐳, 錢
	Xianyou (Youyang)	錢
Central Min	Yong'an	錢
	Sanming (Sanyuan)	錢
	Sanming (Shaxian)	錢
	Nanping (Wangtai, Yanping)	錢
Shaojiang Min	Shaowu	錢, 龍錢, 票兒
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	錢
Wu	Shanghai	鈔票, 銅鈿, 洋鈿, 銅鈿銀子, 老洋, 板板, 血 figuratively, 分 slang, 米 slang
	Shanghai (Chongming)	鈔票, 銅鈿
	Suzhou	鈔票, 銅鈿, 票子
	Wuxi	鈔票, 銅錢
	Danyang	銅錢, 銅, 洋錢, 錢, 鈔票
	Hangzhou	鈔票, 銅鈿, 洋鈿, 銅鈿銀子, 農年, 牙
	Ningbo	銅鈿, 洋鈿, 銅鈿銀子, 銅鋃銀子, 鈿
	Wenzhou	鈔票, 銅鈿, 番錢, 銅鈿銀, 銅鈿板, 銅板, 板
	Jinhua	鈔票, 洋鈿, 鈿, 銅鈿, 銅鈿銀子
Xiang	Changsha	錢, 夾老倌
Xiang	Shuangfeng	錢

Compounds

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (錢):

→ Japanese: 銭(せん) (sen, “mace”)
→ Korean: 전(錢) (jeon, “mace”)
→ Vietnamese: tiền (錢, “money”)

Others:

→ English: Qian, Chien, Tsien, Chin
→ Proto-Hmong-Mien: *dzi̯en (“money”)
→ Thai: สิน (sǐn, “money”)
→ Malay: ci (“mace”)
→ Mongolian: цэн (cen)
→ Zhuang: cienz (“money; coin; mace”)

Pronunciation 2

Mandarin
(Pinyin): jiǎn (jian³)

(Zhuyin): ㄐㄧㄢˇ
Cantonese (Jyutping): zin²

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: jiǎn
  - Zhuyin: ㄐㄧㄢˇ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: jiǎn
  - Wade–Giles: chien³
  - Yale: jyǎn
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jean
  - Palladius: цзянь (czjanʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡ɕi̯ɛn²¹⁴/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: zin²
  - Yale: jín
  - Cantonese Pinyin: dzin²
  - Guangdong Romanization: jin²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡siːn³⁵/

Middle Chinese: tsjenX

Rime
Character	錢
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	精 (13)
Final (韻)	仙 (77)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	即淺切
Baxter	tsjenX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/t͡siᴇn^X/
Pan Wuyun	/t͡siɛn^X/
Shao Rongfen	/t͡sjæn^X/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/t͡sian^X/
Li Rong	/t͡siɛn^X/
Wang Li	/t͡sĭɛn^X/
Bernhard Karlgren	/t͡si̯ɛn^X/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	jiǎn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	zin²

Old Chinese
(Zhengzhang): /*ʔslenʔ/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	錢
Reading #	1/2
No.	5996
Phonetic component	戔
Rime group	元
Rime subdivision	2
Corresponding MC rime	翦
Old Chinese	/*ʔslenʔ/

Definitions

錢

^† a kind of farm tool
- 錢鎛停置，農收積場。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  钱镈停置，农收积场。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: 3rd century, Cao Cao, 《步出夏門行·冬十月》
  Jiǎn bó tíng zhì, nóng shōu jī cháng. [Pinyin]
  Spades and hoes are put aside; crops are piled up on the ground.

References

“錢”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
“Entry #12022”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2024.

Japanese

Shinjitai	銭
Kyūjitai	錢

Kanji

錢

(Hyōgai kanji, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 銭)

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Readings

Go-on: せん (sen)、ぜん (zen)
Kan-on: せん (sen)
Kun: ぜに (zeni, 錢)、すき (suki, 錢)

Korean

Hanja

錢 (eumhun 돈 전 (don jeon))

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Vietnamese

Han character

錢: Hán Việt readings: tiền^[1]^[2]^[3]
錢: Nôm readings: tiền^[1]

chữ Hán form of tiền (“money”).

References

[tdcndg-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Nguyễn (2014).

[tdcntd-2] Nguyễn et al. (2009).

[gdhn-3] Trần (2004).

[1]

[2]

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